tihxavy  of  Che  Cheolo^icd  ^tminavy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 

The  Estate  of 
Harold  McAfee  Robinson,  D.D, 
LC  580  .M5 


THE 


CHRISTIAN  E 


OF 


CHILDREN  AND  YOUTH: 


BY   THE 


REV.  SAMUEL  MILLER,  D.  D., 


AND    THE 


REV.  J.  J.  JANEWAY,  D.  D. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 
PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1840,  by 

A.  W.  MITCHELL,  M.  D., 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District 

of  Pennsylvania. 


stereotyped   by 

S.  DOUGLJlS  WYETH, 

No.  7  Pear  St.,  Philadelphia. 

Printed  by 
WM.  S.  MARTIEN. 


REPORT 


TO   THE 


GENERAL  ASSEMBLY, 


ON 


CHRISTIAN  EDUCATION. 

BY    THE 

REV.  SAMUEL  MILLER,  D.  D. 


(3) 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

In  the  General  x\ssembly  of  1839,  the  fol- 
lowing Resolution  was  adopted,  viz  : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Rev.  Samuel  Miller, 
Archibald  Alexander,  Charles  Hodge,  J.  Ad- 
dison Alexander,  and  Janies  Carnahan,  be  a 
committee  to  inquire  whether  any,  and,  if 
any,  what  measures  ought  to  be  adopted  for 
securing  to  the  children  and  young  people  of 
our  Church  more  full  advantages  of  Christian 
education  than  they  have  hitherto  enjoyed." 

In  pursuance  of  the  foregoing  appointment, 
the  following  Report  was  presented  to  the 
General  Assembly,  at  their  sessions  in  1S40, 
by  the  chairman  of  the  committee,  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Miller,  D.  D.  and  by  a  unanimous 
resolution  it  was  referred  to  the  Board  of 
Publication,  with  a  view  to  its  publication. 

1*  (5) 


CHRISTIAN  EDUCATION. 


The  longer  and  the  more  seriously  the  Confi- 
mittee  have  deliberated  on  the  adoption  of 
measures  "  for  securing  to  the  children  and 
young  people  of  our  Church  more  full  advan- 
tages of  Christian  education  than  they  have 
hitherto  enjoyed,'^  the  deeper  has  become 
their  impression,  at  once,  of  its  transcendent 
importance,  and  of  the  exceeding  great  diffi- 
culty, in  the  present  state  of  our  country  and 
of  the  Church,  of  doing  it  justice,  even  in 
theory,  and  much  more  of  proposing  such 
plans  as  will  admit  of  general  and  convenient 
execution. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  one  great  end 
for  which  the  Church  was  established  by  her 
infinitely  wise  and  gracious  Head  was,  that 
she  might  train  up  a  godly  seed,  enhghtened 
in  the  truth,  and  imbued  with  the  sentiments 
and  habits  adapted  to  the  maintenance  and 

7 


8  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

spread  of  our  holy  religion,  in  all  its  purity 
and  power. 

This  great  principle  is  not  merely  left  to  be 
inferred  from  the  general  nature  and  character 
of  the  church,  but  is  essentially  included  in 
the  ordinances  appointed  by  her  Divine  Head, 
and  in  the  direct  and  solemn  commands  with 
which  her  statute  book  abounds.  Hence,  in 
the  ancient  Church,  her  children,  while  yet 
infants,  were  recognized  and  sealed  as  mem- 
bers ;  were  carried  up  at  an  early  age  to  the 
great  feasts  at  Jerusalem  ;  and,  that  they 
might  be  taught  to  take  an  interest  in  all  that 
pertained  to  the  people  of  God,  the  command 
of  Jehovah  was — "  These  words  shall  be  in 
thine  heart,  and  thou  shalt  teach  them  dili- 
gently unto  thy  children,  and  shalt  talk  of  them 
when  thou  sittest  in  thine  house,  and  when 
thou  walkest  by  the  way,  and  when  thou  liest 
down,  and  when  thou  risest  up."  Nay  more 
— it  was  not  only  enjoined  on  parents  under 
that  economy,  to  teach  their  children  all  the 
commands  of  God,  and  continually  to  incul- 
cate obedience  to  them,  but  also  to  make  them 
familiar  with  the  history  of  the  Church — con- 
tinually reminding  them  of  all  Jehovah's  deal- 
ing with  his  covenant  people  ;  his  signal  de- 
liverances ;   his  heavy  judgments ;  and  the 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  9 

various  ways  by  which  he  led  them  on,  and 
accomplished  his  purposes  toward  them. 

When  the  New  Testament  economy  was 
introduced,  the  same  great  principles  of  duty 
toward  the  children  of  the  Church  were  not 
only  retained,  but  with  the  increasing  light 
and  spirituality  of  the  new  dispensation,  were 
extended  in  their  application,  and  urged  with 
new  force.  Still,  while  in  their  infancy,  the 
Church,  by  a  solemn  rite,  was  commanded  to 
recognize  her  children  as  the  members  of  her 
body  ;  to  regard  herself  as  their  moral  parent ; 
and  to  make  their  early  instruction  and  disci- 
pline an  object  of  unceasing  care  and  labour. 
Some  of  the  examples  of  this  care,  and  of  the 
happy  results  of  it,  recorded  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  Church,  are  at  once  memorable 
and  instructive. 

The  pious  "  witnesses  for  the  truth  "  in  the 
dark  ages,  were,  perhaps,  more  remarkable  for 
nothing  than  for  their  faithfulness  in  the  in- 
struction and  discipline  of  their  children.  In 
particular,  the  devoted  and  exemplary  Wal- 
denses  were  probably  indebted,  under  God, 
to  their  peculiar  diligence  in  the  discharge  of 
this  duty,  for  their  remarkable  success  in  keep- 
ing their  body  together  ;  in  transmitting  their 
testimony  from  generation  to  generation  ;  and 


10  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

in  remaining  so  long  as  they  did,  a  beacon  for 
the  admiration  and  guidance  of  the  Church  in 
after  times.  Historians  tell  us  that  these  pious 
people  were  in  the  habit  of  employing  every 
hour  that  they  could  rescue  from  labour  and 
sleep,  in  gaining  religious  knowledge  them- 
selves, and  in  imparting  it  to  the  children  and 
young  people  of  their  community  ;  that  they 
were  careful  to  prepare  excellent  catechisms, 
and  other  formularies  for  their  youth  ;  and 
that  their  pastors  made  the  religious  instruc- 
tion of  youth  a  leading  and  unceasing  object 
of  their  labours. 

In  imitation  of  their  example,  the  most 
pure  and  enlightened  of  the  Reformed 
churches  have  ever  directed  their  attention 
to  the  education  of  their  children  as  an  object 
of  primary  importance  in  promoting  the  great 
interests  of  religion.  Among  these  churches, 
that  of  Scotland  is,  on  several  accounts,  most 
instructive  and  most  interesting  to  us,  as 
bearing  to  us,  more  than  any  other,  the  rela- 
tion of  parent.  This  Church,  from  the  ear- 
liest period  of  her  establishment,  has  made 
careful  provision  for  the  early  instruction  and 
discipline  of  her  children.  By  different  acts 
of  her  General  Assembly,  from  time  to  time, 
she  has  declared  their  education  to  be  under 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  11 

the  supervision  and  government  of  her  judica- 
tories, and  directed  the  course  of  their  studies 
accordingly.  The  General  Assembly,  soon 
after  its  first  formation,  in  1560,  and  at  difter- 
ent  times  afterwards,  directed  the  several 
presbyteries  to  settle  a  church  school  in  every 
parish,  and  to  see  that  the  teacher  employed 
in  each  was  a  pious,  orthodox,  well  quaUfied 
man,  adapted  to  instruct  youth  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, in  the  catechism,  and  in  all  the  most 
important  things,  as  well  as  in  the  elements 
of  hterature.  By  an  act  of  the  General  As- 
sembly of  1642,  a  grammar  school  was  erect- 
ed in  every  presbytery.  The  Assembly  of 
1700  enjoined  on  all  presbyteries  to  "take 
special,  particular,  and  exact  notice,"  of  all 
schoolmasters,  governors,  and  instructors  of 
youth,  within  their  respective  bounds,  and 
oblige  them  to  subscribe  the  Confession  of 
Faith ;  and,  in  case  of  continued  negligence, 
(after  admonition,)  error,  or  immorality,  or 
not  being  careful  to  educate  those  committed 
to  their  charge  in  the  Protestant  Reformed 
religion — pointed  out  the  mode  in  which  they 
■were  to  be  punished.  By  the  Assembly  of 
1706,  it  was  enjoined  that  presbyteries  visit 
the  grammar  schools  within  their  respective 
bounds,  twice  a  year,  by  some  of  their  num- 


12  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

ber.  And,  finally,  in  1638,  the  General  As- 
sembly revived  and  ratified  the  acts  of  pre- 
ceding Assemblies,  by  which  visitations  of 
colleges  were  directed  to  be  kept  up  by  com- 
mittees of  the  Assembly ;  and  the  principal 
regents,  professors,  masters,  and  doctors 
within  the  same  were  required  to  be  tried 
concerning  their  piety,  their  soundness  in  the 
faith,  their  ability  to  discharge  the  duties  of 
their  calling,  and  the  honesty  of  their  conver- 
sation. 

Several  other  Reformed  churches  might  be 
cited,  as  furnishing  eminent  and  instructive 
examples  of  fidelity  in  discharging  the  great 
duty  which  it  is  the  object  of  this  report  to 
recommend.  The  Church  of  Holland  will 
alone  be  noticed  at  present.  By  the  synodi- 
cal  assemblies  of  that  church  it  is  directed 
that  the  consistories  in  every  congregation, 
shall  provide  good  schoolmasters,  who  shall 
be  able  not  only  to  instruct  children  in  read- 
ing, writing,  grammar,  and  the  liberal  sci- 
ences, but  also  to  teach  them  the  catechism, 
and  the  first  principles  of  religion.  Every 
schoolmaster  was  to  be  obliged  to  subscribe 
the  Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Belgic  churches, 
or  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.  With  regard 
to  instructing  children  in  the  catechism,  a 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  13 

three-fold  attention  to  it  is  solemnly  enjoined 
in  that  church ;  viz  :  first,  Domestic,  by  Pa- 
rents ;  second,  Scholastic,  by  Schoolmasters ; 
and   third,  Ecclesiastic,  by  Pastors,  assisted 
by  other  members  of  their  consistories ;  and 
all  whose  duty  it  is  to  inspect  schools,  are 
«  admonished  to  make  this  an  object  of  their 
very  first  care.'^     It  is  further  provided,  that 
no  person  shall  be  appointed  to  the  charge  of 
any  school  who  is  not  a  member  in  full  com- 
munion with  the  Reformed  Belgic  Church, 
and  who  shall  not  previously  have  subscribed 
the  Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechism  of  the 
Church,  and  solemnly  promised  to  instruct 
the   children  committed  to  his  care  in  the 
principles  contained  in  the  standards  of  the 
Church.   More  than  this ; — it  is  enjoined  that 
every  schoolmaster  shall  employ  two  half 
days  in  every  week,  not  only  in  hearing  the 
children  repeat,  but  in  assisting  them  to  un- 
derstand the  catechism.    And  to  insure  fidelity 
in  these  teachers,  it  is  made  the  duty  of  the 
pastors  and  elders  of  each  church,  frequently 
to  visit  the  schools ;  to  encourage  and  direct 
the  teachers  in  the  proper  method  of  cate- 
chizing; to  examine  the  children  "with  mild 
severity;"  and   to   excite  them  to   industry 
and  piety,  by  holy  exhortations,  by  season- 
2 


14  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

able  commendations,  and  by  little  appropriate 
rewards. 

Nor  is  this  zealous  and  persevering  labour 
in  the  religious  training  of  youth  confined  to 
Protestant  churches.  It  is  well  known,  that 
among  some  of  the  Roman  CathoUc  congre- 
gations of  Europe,  the  children  are  imbued 
with  a  knowledge  of  their  erroneous  system, 
with  an  indefatigable  diligence  and  patience 
which  may  well  put  to  shame  the  professors 
of  a  more  scriptural  creed.  The  consequence 
is,  that  so  large  a  number  of  that  denomina- 
tion of  professing  Christians  have  an  attach- 
ment to  their  sect,  and  an  expertness  in  de- 
fending their  superstitious  peculiarities,  rarely 
found  among  the  mass  of  Protestants. 

When  your  committee  contrast  these  facts 
with  the  state  of  things  now  existing,  and 
which  has  for  a  long  time  existed,  and  been 
manifestly  growing  in  the  Presbyterian. 
Church,  in  regard  to  the  religious  training  of 
her  children,  they  experience  a  degree  of 
mortification  which  it  is  not  easy  to  express. 
For  a  number  of  years,  indeed,  after  the 
planting  of  our  Church  in  this  country,  that 
portion  of  our  members  which  had  migrated 
from  Scotland,  or  the  north  of  Ireland,  and 
their  immediate  successors,  retained  much  of 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  15 

their  European  habit  in  regard  to  this 
matter.  Their  children  were,  to  a  consider- 
able extent,  trained,  as  was  customary  in  the 
land  of  their  fathers,  and  made  perfectly  fa- 
miliar with  the  catechisms  of  the  church,  and 
the  elementary  principles  of  religion.  But 
even  this  remnant  of  European  fidelity  has, 
in  a  great  measure,  disappeared.  The  cate- 
chisms of  our  Church  have  nothing  like  the 
currency,  even  among  this  class  of  our  young 
people  that  they  had  fifty  years  ago.  From 
many  parts  of  the  Church  in  which  they 
were  then  habitually  taught,  they  are  now, 
in  a  great  measure,  banished.  The  religious 
instruction  of  our  youth,  instead  of  becoming 
more  ample  and  faithful,  as  the  facilities  for 
its  accomplishment  have  multiplied — has  un- 
doubtedly declined,  both  as  to  extent  and 
fidelity.  The  children  of  church-members 
are,  in  a  multitude  of  cases,  totally  neglected, 
and  left  to  ignorance  and  heathenism.  In 
other  instances,  they  are  committed  to  the 
tuition  of  the  intemperate,  the  profane,  and 
the  profligate.  Not  unfrequently  they  are 
sent  to  institutions  taught  by  papists,  or  other 
errorists,  who  are  known  to  make  every 
effort  to  instil  their  erroneous  opinions  into 
the  minds  of  the  youth  committed  to  their 


16  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

care.  It  may  be  doubted  whether  there  is  a 
body  of  people  at  this  time  on  earth,  so  or- 
thodox in  their  creed,  and  at  the  same  time 
so  deplorably  delinquent  in  the  religious  edu- 
cation of  their  children,  as  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States. 

In  this  state  of  things,  no  wonder  that  so 
many  of  the  children  of  our  beloved  Church 
grow  up  in  ignorance,  and  regardless  of  the 
religion  of  their  fathers ;  some  becoming  pro- 
fane and  impious ;  others  turning  aside  to 
various  forms  of  fatal  error ;  and  a  large  ma- 
jority feeling  little  attachment  to  the  good  old 
way,  in  which  they  ought  to  have  been  faith- 
fully and  prayerfully  trained.  And  it  is 
painful  to  recollect  that,  amidst  this  unhappy 
delinquency,  the  judicatories  of  our  Church 
have  in  a  great  measure  slumbered  over  the 
evil,  and  have  taken  no  systematic  or  efficient 
order  for  the  removal  of  it. 

The  mischiefs  flowing  from  this  neglect  of 
early  religious  instruction  are  numberless 
and  deplorable. 

The  first  and  most  serious  of  these  mischiefs 
is,  its  tendency  to  destroy  the  souls  of  our 
children. 

On  the  one  hand,  when  the  early  youth  of 
children  is  passed  without  proper  instruction 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  17 

in  divine  things,  it  is  difficult  to  measure  or 
conceive  the  thick  darkness  which  generally 
covers  their  minds,  and  appears  to  defy  all 
ordinary  endeavours  to  impart  to  them  the 
knowledge  of  evangelical  truth.  When  men 
grow  old  in  ignorance,  as  well  as  in  sin, 
they  are  surrounded  with  a  double  barrier 
against  the  entrance  of  heavenly  light.  It 
becomes  almost  necessary  to  teach  them  a 
new  language  before  the  instructor  in  such 
cases,  can  be  understood.  Accordingly  the 
probability  of  such  persons  being  ever  brought 
to  a  saving  acquaintance  with  the  gospel,  is 
greatly  diminished,  and, in  many  cases,  render- 
ed in  a  great  measure,  hopeless.  On  the  other 
hand,  when  the  seeds  of  truth  and  duty  are  ear- 
ly and  faithfully  sown  in  the  minds  of  youth  ; 
though  they  may  long  lie  buried,  there  is 
strong  ground  of  hope  that  they  will  eventu- 
ally spring  up,  and  bring  forth  a  rich  harvest. 
Who  can  estimate  then,  the  cruelty,  the  awful 
guilt  of  those,  whether  parents  or  pastors,  who 
neglect  that  which  is  so  closely  connected, 
not  only  with  the  present  happiness,  but  with 
the  everlasting  welfare  of  every  youth  com- 
mitted to  their  care  .-* 

Closely  allied  with  that  which  was  last  sta- 
ted, is  another  evil  resulting  from  the  neglect 
2* 


18  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

of  a  religious  education  of  the  children  of  the 
Church  ;  and  that  is,  the  frequency  with  which 
our  young  people  may  be  expected,  in  such 
case,  to  depart  from  the  church  of  their  fa- 
thers, and  either  stray  into  communions  of  the 
most  corrupt  character,  or  become  totally  re- 
gardless of  religion  in  any  form.     The  fact  is,  ^ 
even  if  the  preaching  of  a  pastor  be  ever  so 
sound  and  able ;  yet  if  he  neglect  the  appro-  , 
priate  training  of  the  young  people  of  his  i 
charge,  and  leave  them  to  the  small  gleanings  i 
of  instruction  which  they  will  be  likely  to 
catch  by  the  ear  from  the  pulpit,  they  may  be 
expected  to  grow  up  little  better  than  heathen 
in  fact,  though  Christian  in  name.     The  con- 
sequence must  inevitably  be,  the  decay  and 
final  ruin  of  those  flocks  which  have  not  some 
other  means  by  which  to  supply  the  places  of 
their  dying  members,  than  the  seed  of  the 
church. 

Further ;  the  pastor  who  neglects  the  reli- 
gious training  of  the  young  people  of  his 
charge,  will  find  them  altogether  unprepared 
to  profit  by  his  public  ministry.  If  a  pastor 
desires  to  render  his  discourses  from  the  pul- 
pit as  profitable  as  possible  to  the  youth  of 
his  flock,  he  cannot  take  a  more  direct  course 
for  the  attainment  of  his  object,  than  to  attend 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  19 

to  them  with  parental  diligence  and  affection ; 
to  become  personally  acquainted  with  them  ; 
to  meet  them  frequently  in  private  as  a  body  ; 
to  catechize  them ;  to  render  them  familiar 
with  his  person,  his  modes  of  thinking  and 
speaking,  and  to  imbue  their  minds  with  those 
elementary  principles  of  divine  knowledge 
which  will  prepare  them  to  hear  him  in  the 
pulpit  with  intelligence,  with  respect,  and  with 
profit.  If  a  preacher  wished  for  the  most  fa- 
vourable opportunity  conceivable  for  prepar- 
ing the  youth  of  his  charge  to  listen  to  his 
sermons  to  the  greatest  advantage,  it  would 
not  be  easy  to  devise  one  more  admirably 
suited  to  his  purpose,  than  to  meet  them,  by 
themselves,  once  a  week,  in  a  paternal  and 
affectionate  manner ;  to  teach  them  the  ele- 
mentary principles  of  that  system  which  his 
discourses  from  the  pulpit  are  intended  to  ex- 
plain and  inculcate  ;  thus  to  accustom  them 
to  his  topics,  his  phraseology,  his  manner,  his 
whole  course  of  instruction,  and  prepare  them 
to  receive  the  richest  benefit  from  his  public 
discourses.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  one 
great  reason  why  many  young  people  receive 
so  little  profit  from  the  pulpit  discourses  of 
their  minister  is,  that  he  has  taken  so  little 
pains  to  open  their  minds  by  previous  in- 


20  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

struction  ;  to  prepare  the  soil  for  the  seed ;  to 
prepossess  them  in  favour  of  the  substance 
and  mode  of  his  teaching.  That  minister  who 
desires  that  his  preaching  may  make  the  deep- 
est and  most  favourable  impression  on  the 
minds  of  the  children  and  young  people  of  his 
charge,  is  an  infatuated  man,  regardless  of 
all  the  dictates  of  reason,  experience,  and  the 
word  of  God,  if  he  does  not  employ  himself 
diligently  in  labouring  to  pave  the  way  for 
their  reception  of  his  more  formal  and  public 
instruction.  Young  people  thus  prepared  to 
attend  on  his  preaching,  will,  of  course,  un- 
derstand it  better ;  receive  it  more  readily 
and  respectfully  ;  and  be  more  likely,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  lay  it  up  in  their  hearts,  and 
practice  it  in  their  lives. 

Again ;  the  pastor  who  neglects  the  reli- 
gious instruction  of  the  children  of  his  flock, 
neglects  one  of  the  most  direct  and  powerful 
means  of  winning  the  parents  themselves  to 
the  knowledge  and  love  of  the  gospel.  It 
cannot  have  escaped  the  notice  of  any  atten- 
tive observer  of  human  affairs,  that  there  is 
no  avenue  to  the  hearts  of  parents  more  direct 
and  certain  than  diligent  and  affectionate  at- 
tention to  their  children.  On  the  one  hand, 
it  would  seem  as  if  they  could  often  bear  to 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  21 

be  themselves  neglected,  if  their  beloved  child- 
ren be  followed  with  manifestations  of  inter- 
est and  good  will.     And,  on  the  other  hand, 
if  they  see  their  children  overlooked  and  neg- 
lected, scarcely  anything  in  their  view  can 
atone  for  this  negligence.     Instances  of  the 
most   striking   character    have    occurred,   in 
which  parents  appeared  to  receive  the  strong- 
est impressions  in  favour  of  particular  minis- 
ters, and  in  favour  of  the  cause  in  which  they 
were  engaged,  chiefly  because  those  minis- 
ters had  given  their  children  affectionate  pa- 
ternal counsel  and  instruction,  and  appeared 
to  manifest  a  peculiar  interest  in  their  tempo- 
ral and  eternal  welfare.     Nor  is  this  all.     It 
is  undoubtedly  a  fact,  that,  in  some  cases,  one 
of  the  best  modes  of  addressing  parents  on 
the  great  subject  of  religion,  is  through  the 
medium  of  their  children.     The  catechizing, 
instructing,  and  exhorting  of  children  in  the 
presence   of  their  parents,  have  frequently 
proved  the  means  of  the  conversion  of  those 
parents.     And  it  has  often  happened  that  the 
manifest    improvement,  and  especially  the 
hopeful  conversion  of  children  in  catechetical 
and  Bible  classes,  have  been  signally  blessed 
to  the  spiritual  benefit  of  their  parents,  and, 
indeed,  of  the  whole  families  to  which  they 


22  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

belonged.  What  must  be  thought,  then, 
of  the  indolence  or  blhidness  of  that  pastor 
who  can  willingly  forego  all  these  blessings, 
and  incur  all  the  opposite  evils,  by  habitually 
neglecting  the  children  of  the  flock  committed 
to  his  care  ? 

It  follows,  of  course,  that  the  pastor  who 
does  not  diligently  attend  to  the  religious  in- 
struction of  the  young  people  of  his  charge, 
is  blind  to  the  comfort,  the  acceptance,  and 
the  popularity  of  his  own  ministry.  Why  is 
it  that  so  many  ministers,  before  reaching  an 
infirm  old  age,  grow  out  of  date  with  their 
people,  and  lose  their  influence  with  them  ? 
Especially,  why  is  it  that  the  younger  part  of 
their  flocks  feel  so  little  attraction  to  them, 
dislike  their  preaching,  and  sigh  for  a  change 
of  pastors  ?  There  is  reason  to  believe  that 
this  has  seldom  occurred,  except  in  cases  in 
which  pastors  have  been  eminently  negligent 
of  the  religious  training  of  their  young  people ; 
in  which,  however  respectable  they  may  have 
been  for  their  talents,  their  learning,  and  their 
worth,  in  other  respects,  they  have  utterly 
failed  to  bind  the  afl'ections  of  the  children  to 
their  persons ;  to  make  every  one  of  them  re- 
vere and  love  them  as  aff'ectionate  fathers;  and, 
by  faithful  attentions,  to  inspire  them  with  the 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  23 

Strongest  sentiments  of  veneration  and  filial 
attachment.  Those  whose  range  of  observa- 
tion has  been  considerable,  have,  no  doubt, 
seen  examples  of  ministers,  whose  preaching 
was  by  no  means  very  striking  or  attractive, 
yet  retaining  to  the  latest  period  of  their  lives, 
the  affections  of  all  committed  to  their  care, 
and  especially  being  the  favourites  of  the 
young  people,  who  have  rallied  round  them 
in  their  old  age,  and  contributed  not  a  little  to 
render  their  last  days  both  useful  and  happy. 
It  may  be  doubted  whether  such  a  case  ever 
occurred,  excepting  where  the  pastor  had  be- 
stowed much  attention  on  the  young  people 
of  his  charge. 

Such  are  some  of  the  evils  which  flow  from 
neglect  on  the  part  of  the  Church  to  train  up 
her  children  in  the  knowledge  of  her  doctrines 
and  order.  She  may  expect  to  see  a  majority 
of  those  children — even  children  of  professors 
of  religion — growing  up  in  ignorance  and  pro- 
fligacy; of  course  forsaking  the  church  of 
their  fathers ;  leaving  her  either  to  sink,  or  to 
be  filled  up  by  converts  from  without ;  turn- 
ing away  from  those  pastors  who  neglected 
them  ;  and  causing  such  pastors  to  experience 
in  their  old  age,  the  merited  reward  of  un- 
faithful servants. 


24  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

The  truth. is,  if  there  be  any  one  part  of  the 
pastor's  duty,  which,  more  than  almost  any 
other,  deserves  to  be  considered  as  vital  and 
fundamental,  it  is  that  which  bears  immedi- 
ately on  the  seed  of  the  Church — the  nursery 
of  Christ's  family — that  branch  of  his  labour 
which  has  for  its  object  the  extending  and  per- 
petuating the  Church,  by  raising  up  a  godly 
seed  to  take  the  place  of  their  parents  when 
they  shall  be  laid  in  the  dust. 

In  this  view  of  the  subject,  shall  nothing 
be  done  by  the  supreme  judicatory  of  our 
Church,  to  rouse  the  attention,  and  direct  the 
efforts  of  our  churches  to  this  most  important, 
but  long  neglected  concern  ?  That  something 
ought  to  be  done  is  manifest.  It  is  surely 
high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep,  and  inquire 
what  we  can  do,  and  ought  to  do,  as  a  Christ- 
ian denomination. 

The  committee  are  not  unmindful  of  the 
difficulties  which  beset  this  great  subject ;  and 
which  will  render  a  prompt  and  thorough  re- 
turn to  our  duty  in  regard  to  it,  an  arduous, 
if  not  an  almost  impracticable  task ;  difficulties 
arising  from  our  long  continued  habits  of  delin- 
quency— from  the  scattered  state  of  the  popu- 
lation in  many  parts  of  our  Church — from  the 
sentiments  in  favour  of  a  spurious  hberality. 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  25 

which  prevail  so  peculiarly  and  extensively 
among  many  denominations  of  Christians  in 
the  United  States,  and  among  none  more  than 
Presbyterians — and  from  the  constant  and  in- 
defatigable labour  required  for  a  faithful  dis- 
charge of  the  duty  recommended.  But  great 
as  these  difficulties  are,  they  may  be  sur- 
mounted by  faith,  patience,  labour,  and  pray- 
er. And  it  is  evident,  that  even  if  the  diffi- 
culties attending  the  faithful  discharge  of  the 
duty  in  question  were  far  more  numerous  and 
formidable  than  they  are,  the  rewards  would, 
more  than  an  hundred  fold,  counterbalance 
all  the  care  and  toil  bestowed  on  the  object. 
At  any  rate,  if  our  delinquency  is  ever  to  be 
repaired,  and  any  real  improvement  in  this 
great  field  of  Christian  effort  attained,  the 
sooner  we  begin  the  better.  The  souls  of  our 
children  are  precious — the  exigencies  of  the 
church  are  pressing — and  every  hour  we  lose 
in  commencing  the  work  of  reform,  is  a  loss 
to  all  the  best  interests  of  the  Church,  and  the 
world — a  loss  stretching  into  eternity. 

After  these  preliminary  remarks,  the  Com- 
mittee would  beg  leave  to  present  a  sketch 
of  what  they  think  may  and  ought  to  be  at- 
tempted in  reference  to  this  important  sub- 
ject. They  are  aware  that  what  they  are 
3 


26  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

about  to  propose,  has  nothing  of  novelty  in 
it ;  but,  if  adopted,  would  be  only  returning, 
in  substance,  to  the  forgotten  and  neglected 
usages  of  our  venerated  fathers,  both  in  Eu- 
rope and  in  our  own  country.  And  although 
they  are  sensible  that  some  of  their  sugges- 
tions may  not  equally  apply,  and  may  not  be 
capable  of  being  carried  into  execution  with 
equal  convenience,  in  all  the  churches  of  our 
denomination — yet  they  would  fain  hope, 
that  a  plan  may  be  suggested,  which,  if  car- 
ried into  effect,  may  be  productive  of  some 
benefit  to  the  rising  generation.  They  would, 
therefore,  most  respectfully  propose  to  the 
Assembly  the  adoption  of  the  following  re- 
commendations, to  be  sent  down  to  all  the 
subordinate  judicatories  and  churches  under 
our  care. 

I.  It  is  recommended,  that  the  subject  of 
the  Christian  education  of  children  be  fre- 
quently brought  before  the  people,  in  the  in- 
structions and  devotional  exercises  of  the  pul- 
pit, in  a  manner  so  pointed  and  solemn,  as 
may  be  adapted  to  inform  the  minds,  and  im- 
press the  consciences  of  parents  and  church 
officers,  in  regard  to  a  matter  so  little  under- 
stood, and  so  Uttle  laid  to  heart  even  by  many 
who  profess  to  be  truly  pious. 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  27 

II.  It  is  recommended,  that  when  pastors 
visit  famiUes,  whether  the  visitation  be  per- 
formed formally  or  otherwise,  all  the  children 
of  every  family  be  attended  to  with  particu- 
lar care ;  that  their  names  be  taken  down ; 
that  every  important  circumstance  concerning 
each,  be  recorded;  that  each  be  affection- 
ately noticed  and  addressed ;  that  God's 
claim  to  them  be  presented  and  urged ;  and 
that  every  practicable  method  be  adopted  to 
render  such  interviews  interesting  and  in- 
structive. For  this  purpose,  there  may  be  a 
little  tract  given  to  one;  an  appropriate, 
striking  anecdote  related  to  another;  and 
some  expression  of  interest  and  regard  suited 
to  win  the  confidence  of  a  third,  and  so  of  the 
whole  youthful  circle.  This  would  require 
no  expense— nothing,  at  least,  but  thought 
and  prayer ;  as  tracts  and  other  little  publica- 
tions suitable  to  be  thus  employed,  may  be 
had,  if  not  gratuitously,  at  least  on  very  easy 
terms,  and  to  almost  any  extent. 

III.  It  is  recommended,  that  every  congre- 
V/' gation  shall  establish  one  or  more  Church 
Schools,  adapted  to  the  instruction  of  children 
between  six  and  ten  years  of  age.  These 
primary  schools  had  better,  usually,  be  taught 
by  females,  decidedly  pious,  intelligent,  and 


28  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

of  known  attachment  to  the  doctrines  and  or- 
der of  our  Church.  These  teachers  ought  to 
be  selected  by  the  church  session,  and  go- 
verned by  rules  formed  by  that  body.  Fe- 
males would  be  preferable  as  teachers  in  such 
schools;  because  they  may,  for  the  most 
part,  be  had  on  more  economical  terms  than 
teachers  of  the  other  sex  ;  and  because,  if  of 
a  suitable  character,  they  will  be  apt  to  train 
up  their  pupils  with  more  soft  and  gentle 
manners.  As  children  of  this  tender  age 
cannot  travel  far  to  school,  there  ought  to  be 
several  of  this  class  of  schools  in  every  con- 
gregation of  any  size;  as  not  more  than 
twenty-five,  or,  at  most,  thirty  scholars  of 
this  age  ought  ever  to  be  placed  under  one 
teacher.  In  these  schools,  the  Bible  ought 
to  be  used  every  day,  and  the  Shorter  Cate- 
chism of  the  Church  recited  at  least  once 
every  week ;  and  the  pastor  and  elders  ought 
frequently  to  visit  them,  and  see  that  the 
teachers  are  faithful ;  that  all  the  methods  of 
instruction  employed  are  of  the  best  kind; 
and  that  the  manners  and  habits  of  the  child- 
ren are  such  as  become  those  who  are  train- 
ing up  for  usefulness  here,  and  for  the  family 
of  Christ  hereafter.  In  these  lower  schools, 
it  may  be  proper  that  the  females  be  some- 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  29 

times  employed,  at  the  discretion  of  the 
teachers,  in  sewing,  and  in  other  occupa- 
tions adapted  to  their  sex.  The  exercises, 
every  day,  should  be  opened  and  closed  with 
prayer. 

IV.  It  is  recommended,  that  in  populous 
towns,  infant  schools  be  established  as  far  as 
circumstances  will  admit.  These  of  course, 
should  be  placed  under  the  direction  of  pious, 
enlightened  females ;  and  it  is  important  that 
all  the  religious  exercises  which  take  place  in 
them  be  in  conformity  with  the  usages  of 
our  own  church;  and  that  nothing  be  ad- 
mitted which  will  have  a  tendency  to  intro- 
duce forms  which  distinguish  other  denomi- 
nations. In  these  infant  schools,  the  simpler 
portions  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  "  Cate- 
chism for  Young  Children,"  furnished  by 
the  Assembly's  Board  of  Publication,  and 
such  oral  instruction  as  may  be  adapted  to 
the  weakest  capacities,  ought  to  be  constantly 
employed. 

V.  It  is  recommended,  that  there  be  estab- 
lished in  every  presbytery  at  least  one  gram- 
mar school  or  academy,  and  in  the  larger  and 
more  opulent  presbyteries  more  than  one, 
adapted  for  training  youth  in  the  more  ad- 
vanced branches  of  knowledge,  and  preparing 

3* 


30  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

such  of  them  as  may  desire  it,  for  an  intro- 
duction into  college.  These  academies  ought 
to  be  under  the  immediate  instruction  of  ripe 
and  accomplished  scholars — men  in  full  com- 
munion with  the  Presbyterian  church;  of 
pious  and  exemplary  deportment ;  and  of 
known  attachment  to  the  faith  and  order  of 
our  church.  These  institutions  ought  to  be 
under  the  supervision  of  the  respective  pres- 
byteries in  which  they  are  placed,  and  a  com- 
mittee of  ministers  and  elders  appointed  by 
each  presbytery  to  visit  them,  and  to  watch 
over  the  whole  course  of  instruction  and  dis- 
cipline in  them.  It  is  by  no  means,  indeed, 
intended  to  advise  that  no  pupils  be  received 
into  such  academies  but  such  as  are  connected 
with  the  Presbyterian  Church,  but  it  is  in- 
tended to  be  earnestly  recommended,  that  all 
the  religious  exercises  in  the  same  be  strictly 
Presbyterian  in  their  character ;  and  that  no 
youth  be  allowed  to  enter  them,  or  to  continue 
a  day  in  them,  who  is  not  perfectly  correct 
and  unexceptionable  in  his  moral  character, 
and  disposed  to  treat  the  ordinances  of  rehgiou 
with  entire  respect.  In  these  academies,  it  is 
recommended  that  the  Larger  Catechism  of 
our  church  be  made  a  class  book  ;  and,  if  not 
wholly  committed  to  memory,  at  least  made 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  31 

the  subject  of  recitation  and  commentary, 
and  accompanied  with  such  other  reading  and 
oral  instruction  as  may  be  adapted  to  make 
the  pupils  familiar  with  the  faith  and  order 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  with  the 
considerations  which  explain  and  vindicate 
the  same. 

VI.  It  is  recommended,  that  when  any  of 
our  youth  are  destined  to  enjoy  the  privileges 
of  a  college  or  university,  there  be  the  utmost 
care  exercised  in  selecting  for  them  those  in- 
stitutions in  which  their  moral  and  religious 
training  will  receive  the  most  faithful  atten- 
tion ;  institutions  in  which,  as  far  as  they  can 
be  found,  the  professors  are  orthodox  and 
pious,  and  in  which  the  whole  weight  of  their 
instruction  and  influence  will  be  thrown  into 
the  scale  of  pure  and  undefiled  reHgion,  as 
well  as  sound  learning.  No  child  of  the 
Church  ought  ever  to  be  sent  to  any  seminary 
of  learning,  however  high  its  literary  charac- 
ter, in  which  sound  religious  instruction  is  not 
made  a  constant  and  governing  object  of  at- 
tention. That  parent  who  selects  for  his  son 
a  college  in  which  his  moral  and  religious  in- 
terests will  run  the  risk  of  being  sacrificed,  or 
even  jeoparded,  for  the  sake  of  indulging 
some  petty  taste  or  prejudice,  is  chargeable 


32  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

with  an  unfaithfulness  and  cruelty  of  the  most 
inexcusable  kind.  In  several  parts  of  our 
Church,  academies  and  colleges  have  been 
founded  by  presbyteries  and  synods,  and 
placed  entirely  under  the  direction  of  the  ju- 
dicatories which  founded  them.  This,  where 
it  can  be  done,  is  a  wise  plan ;  and  adapted 
more  eifectually  to  secure  to  our  youth  the 
advantages  of  thorough  and  unshackled  re- 
ligious training,  than  is  possible  upon  any 
other  plan. 

VII.  It  is  recommended  that  all  parents 
and  heads  of  families  be  in  the  constant  habit 
of  assembling  the  children  and  youth  of  their 
families  in  the  evening  of  every  Lord's  day, 
and  spending  at  least  an  hour  in  attending  to 
the  recitation  of  the  catechism,  and  such  other 
modes  of  oral  instruction  in  divine  things,  as 
the  capacity  and  character  of  each  may  re- 
quire. Let  the  head  of  the  family,  whether 
male  or  female,  as  the  case  may  be,  take  this 
opportunity  of  speaking  seriously  to  each  of 
the  young  persons  present,  and  administering 
an  affectionate  but  solemn  rebuke,  for  any 
disorderly  conduct  on  that  day,  or  the  pre- 
ceding week,  closing  with  exhortation  and  a 
comprehensive  prayer.  And  that  this  do- 
mestic service  may  not  interfere  with  attend- 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  33 

ance  on  public  services  which,  in  some 
churches,  are  statedly  held  on  that  evening ; 
in  such  churches,  let  the  hour  devoted  to  this 
family  interview  be  the  one  immediately  pre- 
ceding the  evening  meal.  In  all  cases  in 
which  the  catechism  is  recited,  let  one  or  two 
proof  texts  be  carefully  quoted  and  committed 
to  memory,  for  the  support  of  each  answer ; 
and  let  the  children  be  always  reminded  that 
the  Bible  is  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith 
and  practice,  and  that  the  catechism  owes  all 
its  authority  and  value  to  the  fact,  that  it  con- 
tains the  system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

VIII.  It  is  recommended,  that  pastors  and 
church  sessions  be  diligently  attentive  to  the 
catechizing  and  religious  instruction  of  all  the 
children  and  young  people  under  their  care, 
through  the  whole  course  of  their  childhood 
and  youth.  No  recitation  of  the  catechism 
in  any  other  school  or  place  ought  to  super- 
sede this.  However  constantly  and  faithfully 
it  may  be  attended  to  by  the  parents,  or  by 
Sabbath-school  teachers ;  still  the  pastor  and 
and  the  elders  ought  to  deem  it  a  privilege  as 
well  as  a  duty,  to  convene  the  children  of  the 
church,  and  to  endeavour  to  establish  that 
acquaintance  with  them,  and  that  influence 


34  CHRISTIAN   EDUCATION. 

over  them,  which  will  be  likely  to  result  in 
rich  advantages  to  both.  Even  if  a  wise  and 
faithful  pastor  were  certain  that  the  religious 
instruction  of  the  children  committed  to  his 
care  would  be  adequately  discharged  without 
his  aid ;  still  he  ought,  as  we  have  seen,  for 
his  own  sake,  as  well  as  theirs,  to  desire  to 
bring  his  personal  instruction  into  contact 
with  their  minds ;  and  thus  to  prepare  them 
to  love  his  person,  and  profit  by  his  minis- 
try ;  and  to  prepare  himself  to  understand,  in 
some  measure,  the  character  and  wants  of 
each,  and  the  best  means  of  doing  them  good. 
Nor  ought  these  meetings  with  the  children 
of  the  church  to  be  so  rare  as  they  too  com- 
monly are.  Some  pastors  assemble  their 
children  to  be  catechized  and  addressed  once 
or  twice  a  year,  and  others,  at  most,  once  in 
two  or  three  months.  It  is  deliberately  be- 
lieved by  the  Committee  that  such  infrequent 
meetings  are  of  little  or  no  real  value.  As  a 
source  of  instruction  to  the  children,  they  are 
of  very  small  advantage,  if  of  any  at  all ;  and 
as  a  means  of  making  the  pastor  personally 
acquainted  with  the  children,  and  enabling 
him  to  judge  of  the  temper,  capacity,  and  dis- 
position of  each  ;  to  adapt  himself  to  their  re- 
spective characters ;  to  mark  the  progress  or 


CHRISTIAN   EDUCATION.  35 

retrocession  of  each ;  and  to  gain  the  confi- 
dence and  affection  of  all — they  might  almost 
as  well  be  omitted.  These  interviews  ought 
to  take  place  every  week — to  be  attended 
with  as  much  punctuality  as  the  public  exer- 
cises of  the  Sabbath ;  and  to  be  engaged  in 
with  pencil  and  memorandum-book  in  hand, 
S9  that  the  appearance  and  outmaking  of  each 
may  be  kept  in  mind  from  week  to  week ;  and 
to  be  conducted  throughout  with  the  indefati- 
gable diligence,  patience,  and  affection  which 
are  adapted  to  reach  and  win  the  hearts  of  the 
children.  In  large  congregations,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  are  widely  scattered,  it  may 
not  be  easy,  or  even  practicable  to  meet  all 
the  children  of  the  same  church,  in  a  single 
body,  once  in  every  week.  In  this  case,  it  may 
be  expedient  to  have  two  or  three  little  as- 
semblies of  children  convened  in  different 
parts  of  the  congregation  every  week ;  and 
once  in  each  month,  the  whole  of  the  children 
and  young  people  of  the  congregation  may  be 
assembled  in  the  afternoon  of  the  Lord's  day, 
in  the  church ;  and  there,  instead  of  the  usual 
afternoon  service,  a  service  intended  especially 
for  their  benefit  may  be  conducted,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  their  parents  and  others,  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  be  even  more  instructive,  solemn, 


36  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

and  touching  to  all  present  than  the  ordinary 
service.  But  this  matter  may  be  conducted, 
where  circumstances  render  it  expedient, 
somewhat  differently.  Suppose  that  there 
are  three  catechizing  stations  in  different 
parts  of  the  congregation.  These  may  be  all 
punctually  attended  in  the  same  week,  and 
even  on  the  same  day  of  the  week,  one  by 
the  pastor,  and  the  other  two  by  two  of  the 
elders.  On  the  succeeding  two  weeks,  the 
pastor  may  change  places  with  his  elders ;  so 
that  he  may,  in  turn,  attend  every  class  once 
a  month,  and,  at  the  end  of  the  month,  meet 
and  address  them  all  in  a  body,  as  before  sug- 
gested. These  exercises  on  the  catechism  will 
be  of  little  value,  if  the  children  be  merely 
called  upon  to  repeat  by  memory  the  words 
of  the  formulaiy.  Every  answer  ought  to  be 
analyzed  and  explained  in  the  most  simple 
and  patient  manner — condescending  to  the 
"weakness  of  the  youthful  mind,  and  endea- 
vouring to  communicate  truth  in  the  most 
practical  and  affectionate  form.  In  any  and 
every  case,  it  is  important  that  the  elders  take 
a  part  in  this  work,  that  they  may  become  per- 
sonally acquainted  with  the  children  of  the 
church,  and  also  that  the  work  may  not  be 
neglected  when  the  pastor  is  unwell  or  absent. 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  37 

\  .  IX.  It  is  recommended  that  one  or  more 
Bible  Classes  be  established  in  every  congre- 
gation. The  best  methods  of  conducting  these 
will  readily  occur  to  every  enlightened  pastor, 
and  although  they  are,  and  ought  to  be  pri- 
marily intended  and  adapted  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  young,  they  may,  and  ought  to 
include  as  many,  of  both  sexes  and  of  all 
ages,  as  can  be  prevailed  upon  to  engage  in 
the  study  of  the  Bible. 

X.  It  is  recommended  that  all  the  Sabbath 
schools  in  every  congregation  be  under  the 
constant  supervision  and  direction  of  the  pas- 
tor and  eldership. 

Sabbath  schools  are  too  often  surrendered 
to  the  guidance  of  irresponsible  persons,  and 
sometimes  to  persons  making  no  profession, 
and  manifesting  no  practical  sense  of  reli- 
gion ;  and  whose  teaching,  of  course,  must  be 
of  a  very  equivocal  character.  And  some- 
times books  are  introduced  from  well  mean- 
ing donors,  and  regulations  formed  by  no 
means  adapted  to  promote  the  spiritual  inter- 
ests of  the  children.  Every  thing  of  this  kind 
ought  to  be  avoided.  All  the  teachers  em- 
ployed, all  the  books  used,  and  all  the  regu- 
lations adopted  ought  to  be  such  as  the  pas- 
tor and  session  approve.  The  pastor,  as 
often  as  his  engagements  allow,  ought  to  step 


88  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

in,  if  it  be  but  for  a  few  minutes,  to  the  vari- 
ous  schools,  and  manifest  his  interest  in  them 
by  a  word  of  counsel  or  of  prayer,  as  the 
case  may  be  ;  and  thus  put  himself  in  the 
way  of  knowing  personally  how  every  thing 
is  conducted,  and  how  every  thing  prospers, 
and  thus  qualify  himself  to  preside  over  the 
whole  with  intelligence  and  fidelity. 

XI.  It  is  recommended  that  the  baptized 
children  of  the  church,  be  assembled  three  or 
four  times  in  each  year,  and  be  affectionately 
addressed  and  prayed  with  by  the  pastor.  At 
these  interviews  it  will  be  generally  advisa- 
ble to  have  the  parents  present,  and  also  the 
elders,  and  to  accompany  the  exercises  with 
such  tender  appeals  to  parents,  as  peculiarly 
charged  with  the  religious  training  of  their 
offspring ;  and  to  the  elders,  as  being  the 
spiritual  overseers  of  the  youth  of  the  church, 
as  may  tend  at  once,  to  remind  both  of  their 
duty,  and  to  impress  on  their  minds  a  sense  of 
their  solemn  obligations.  As  almost  every 
church  may  be  supposed,  of  course,  to  have 
one  or  two  social  services,  in  the  secular  even- 
nings  of  each  week,  these  interviews  with 
baptized  children  may  be  made,  once  in  three 
months,  to  take  the  place  of  one  of  these  meet- 
ings, so  as  to  avoid  the  undue  multiplication 
of  public  services,  which  might  prove  oppres- 


CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION.  39 

sive  both  to  the  pastor  and  to  the  people  of 
Yiis  charge. 
xy^"  XII.  It  is  earnestly  recommended  that  all 
our  Church  Sessions,  Presbyteries,  and  Sy- 
nods direct  particular  attention  to  this  impor- 
tant subject.  It  will  be  expedient  for  them 
once  a  year,  at  least,  to  ascertain  how  this 
great  concern  stands  in  their  bounds.  And 
if  they  duly  appreciate  its  importance,  it  will 
often  engage  their  attention.  They  will  feel 
that  it  is  impossible  too  early  to  enter  on  the 
work  of  forming  a  large  and  digested  system 
of  religious  training,  which  shall,  in  some 
good  degree,  carry  us  back  to  the  habits  of 
our  venerated  fathers,  on  this  subject,  with 
such  improvements  as  the  advantages  and 
facilities  furnished  by  modern  times  may  ena- 
ble us  to  apply. 

XIII.  It  is  recommended  that  the  foregoing 
system,  as  far  as  applicable,  be  enjoined  by 
the  General  Assembly  to  be  adopted  at  all 
our  missionary  stations  among  the  heathen. 
If  it  be  important  among  the  regular  and  es- 
tablished churches  of  Christendom,  it  is  in 
some  respects  still  more  vitally  important  in 
evangeUzing  the  pagan  world.  It  is  believed 
that  the  advantages  of  directing  special  at- 
tention to  heathen  youth,  have  never  yet 
been  either  sufficiently  appreciated  or  pursued. 


40  CHRISTIAN    EDUCATION. 

When  the  time  shall  come,  in  which,  as  the 
Scriptures  declare,  "  nations  shall  be  born  in 
a  day,''  perhaps  nothing  will  be  more  hkely 
to  i)repare  the  way  for  such  wonders,  than 
having  previously  scattered  amongst  youth 
the  seeds  of  gospel  truth. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  remarked  by  some,  on 
a  survey  of  the  foregoing  recommendations, 
that  they  present  an  amount  of  attention,  and 
of  unceasing  labour  which  cannot  fail  of 
pressing  heavily  on  the  mind,  the  heart,  and 
strength  of  every  pastor.  This  is  not  denied. 
To  accomplish,  from  year  to  year,  the  aggre- 
gate of  what  has  been  recommended,  must 
indeed,  make  large  draughts  on  the  time,  the 
thoughts,  and  the  efforts  of  every  spiritual 
overseer.  But  surely  no  faithful  minister  will 
complain  of  this.  Can  he  wear  out  in  any 
branch  of  labour  more  likely  to  turn  to  great 
account  ?  Can  he  devote  himself  to  any  ob- 
ject more  worthy  of  his  care  ;  more  adapted 
to  reward  his  work  of  faith  and  labour  of 
love  ;  or  more  fitted  to  build  up  the  Church, 
and  promote  his  own  acceptance  and  happi- 
ness, as  an  ambassador  of  Christ,  than  to 
train  up  a  generation  to  serve  God,  when  he 
shall  have  gone  to  his  eternal  reward  } 

THB    END. 


REPOKT 


TO   THE 


SYNOD  OF  NEW  JERSEY 


ON    THE   SUBJECT    OP 


PAROCHIAL  SCHOOLS. 


Bt  J.  J.  jane  way,  d.d. 


4»  (41) 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  Synod  of  New  Jersey,  in  session  at 
New  Brunswick,  October  16,  1844,  passed 
the  following  resolution  : 

«  Whereas  the  Christian  Education  of  the 
children  and  youth  of  the  church  lies  at  the 
foundation  of  her  prosperity;  whereas  this 
matter  has  been,  and  continues  to  be,  de- 
plorably neglected  in  most  of  our  churches : 
and  whereas  there  is  no  probability  that  this 
object  can  be  in  any  good  degree  attained, 
unless  it  be  systematically  and  patiently  pur- 
sued by  the  Judicatories  of  the  Church, 
Therefore,  Resolved,  That  Drs.  Janeway, 
Davidson,  Magie,  and  Murray,  Ministers,  and 
Messrs.  John  J.  Bryant  and  James  Crane, 
Elders,  be  a  Committee  to  inquire  whether 
any,  and  if  any,  what  further  measures  ought 
to  be  adopted  to  secure  the  formation  of  a 
wise  and  efficient  plan  in  regard  to  this  sub- 
ject, and  for  carrying  the  same  into  execu- 

iii 


IV  ADVERTISEMENT. 

tion,  and  to  make  report  at  the  next  meeting 
of  Synod.'' 

In  pursuance  of  the  above  appointments, 
the  following  Report  was  presented  to  the 
Synod  at  their  Session  in  1845,  was  adopted, 
and  ordered  to  be  printed  under  the  direction 
and  revision  of  the  Committee. 


EEPORT 


ON 


PAROCHIAL  SCHOOLS 


The  Committee  appointed  by  the  Synod,  at 
its  last  meeting,  ^Uo  inquire  whether  any, 
and,  if  any,  what  further  measures  ought  to 
be  adopted  to  secure  the  formation  of  a  wise 
and  efficient  plan"  for  "  the  Christian  educa- 
tion of  the  children  and  youth  of  the  Church, 
and  for  carrying  the  same  into  execution;" 
respectfully  submit  the  following  Report. 

The  Committee  are  deeply  impressed  with 
a  sense  of  the  great  importance  of  an  effici- 
ent plan  for  the  religious  education  of  our 
children  and  youth.  They  see  the  difficul- 
ties to  be  encountered  in  carrying  any  wise 
and  adequate  plan  into  effect ;  but  they  are 
convinced,  that  efforts  ought  to  be  speedily 
made  for  affording  to  them  greater  advan- 

5 


0  REPORT    ON 

tages,  than  they  have  hitherto  enjoyed,  for 
gaining  a  suitable  knowledge  of  the  great 
doctrines  and  precepts  of  our  holy  religion. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1839,  appointed 
"  the  Rev.  Samuel  Miller,  Archibald  Alexan- 
der, Charles  Hodge,  J.  Addison  Alexander, 
and  James  Carnahan,  a  committee  to  inquire 
whether  any,  and,  if  any,  what  measures 
ought  to  be  adopted  for  securing  to  the  child- 
ren and  young  people  of  our  Church  more 
full  advantages  of  Christian  education,  than 
they  have  hitherto  enjoyed.'' 

This  committee,  by  their  chairman.  Doctor 
Miller,  made  a  long,  able,  and  comprehen- 
sive report  on  the  subject,  to  the  General  As- 
sembly for  1840.  "By  a  unanimous  resolu- 
tion" of  that  Body,  "it  was  referred  to  the 
Board  of  Publication  with  a  view  to  its  pub- 
lication." 

By  the  Assembly  of  1844,  "  Messrs.  J.  W. 
Alexander,  S.  B.  Wilson,  Hoge,  Young, 
Boardman,  and  Montfort,  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  consider  the  expediency  of  es- 
tablishing Presbyterian  Parochial  Schools, 
and  to  report  on  the  whole  subject  at  the  next 
meeting  of  the  General  Assembly."  On  the 
minutes  of  the  Assembly  for  this  year  is  the 
following  record :  "  The  Committee  on  Pa 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  7 

rochial  Schools  appointed  by  the  last  As- 
sembly, reported,  requesting  longer  time,  and 
were  continued.  Messrs.  Hoge  and  Mont- 
fort  tendered  their  resignation,  and  Drs.  Phil- 
lips and  Snodgrass  were  appointed  on  the 
committee  in  their  places.'^ 

Here  the  Committee  might  give  a  brief 
sketch  of  the  plan  recommended  for  adop- 
tion by  the  Assembly  of  1840;  but  as  the 
committee  will  have  occasion  to  notice  it  in 
a  subsequent  part  of  this  report,  they  will 
now  only  remark,  that  the  excellence  of  this 
plan,  as  will  appear  from  reading  the  report, 
consists  in  this  :  that  it  contemplates  giving 
to  our  youth  a  thorough  moral  and  religi- 
ous training,  under  the  supervision  of  pa- 
rents and  church  officers,  through  every  stage 
of  their  education,  from  infancy  to  mature 
age.  It  is  designed  to  form  their  morals  and 
hearts,  by  the  influence  of  divine  truth,  as 
well  as  to  enlighten  their  understandings. 

Suppose  the  circumstances  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  this  country,  were  such  as 
to  permit  this  plan  to  be  immediately  acted 
upon  and  carried  into  full  operation,  what  a 
beneficial  and  wonderful  change  would  it  pro- 
duce !  Our  children  and  youth  would  grow 
up  imbued  with  the  knowledge  of  the  doc- 


8  REPORT    ON 

trines  and  precepts  of  our  holy  religion,  and 
sit  under  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  pre- 
pared to  hear  the  discourses  delivered  from 
the  pulpit,  with  much  greater  advantage. 
They  would  be  armed  against  the  assaults 
of  error,  and  saved  from  the  danger  of  being 
enticed  from  the  church  of  their  fathers; 
and,  by  the  blessing  of  God  on  such  means, 
many  of  them  would  be  savingly  converted, 
and  become  her  spiritual  members.  A  larger 
proportion  too  of  our  youth,  it  might  be  rea- 
sonably expected,  would  seek  the  ministry 
of  the  gospel ;  and,  by  their  previous  training 
would  enter  Theological  Seminaries  with 
higher  qualifications,  and  leave  them  with 
richer  furniture  for  their  great  work,  and  be- 
come able,  learned,  and  devoted  ministers  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

That  objections  may  be  urged  against  this 
plan,  the  Committee  are  well  aware.  To 
the  principal  ones  they  will  endeavour  to 
give  a  candid  answer.  It  may  be  objected 
that  the  plan  is  too  sectarian  ; — that  it  will 
interfere  with  the  establishment  of  Public 
Schools; — and  that  it  is  impracticable  and 
visionary. 

1 .  In  reply  to  the  first  objection,  we  wish 
it  to  be  distinctly  recollected,  that  the  Pres- 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  9 

byterian  Church  is,  among  her  sister  churches 
in  this  country,  distinguished  by  the  Creed 
and  Form  of  Government  which  she  has 
adopted,  and  pubUshed  for  the  information 
of  the  world.  Now,  if  she  beUeves  these 
doctrines,  and  form  of  government  to  be 
scriptural,  she  is  unquestionably  bound  to  en- 
deavour to  propagate  the  one,  and  to  establish 
the  other,  as  extensively  as  she  may  be  able  ; 
and  especially  to  teach  them  to  her  children 
and  youth.  It  is  certainly  the  duty  of  a  pa- 
rent to  instruct  his  children  in  the  doctrines 
and  form  of  church  government,  which  he 
believes  to  be  in  accordance  with  the  Sacred 
Scriptures.  While  he  is  diligently  engaged 
in  discharging  this  duty,  he  cannot  be  justly 
reproached  as  acting  inconsistently  with  what 
he  owes  to  others.  The  church  sustains  the 
relation  of  a  parent  to  her  members  ;  the 
duties  of  a  parent  are  binding  on  her ;  and 
ghe,  while  acting  like  a  parent,  is  as  free 
from  blame  as  a  parent  who  performs  the 
duties  he  owes  to  his  children. 

To  bring  against  our  church  the  charge  of 
sectarianism,  because  she  adopts  measures  for 
teaching  her  children  the  knowledge  of  her 
creed  and  ecclesiastical  order,  is  idle.  It  is 
giving  to  a  word  a  perverted  meaning  ;  and, 
5 


10  REPORT    ON 

by  the  abuse  of  a  word,  attempting  to  deter 
her  from  doing  an  obvious  duty. 

The  Presbyterian  Church,  as  already  said, 
differs  in  her  creed  and  form  of  church 
government,  from  her  sister  churches  in  this 
country,  and  in  communicating  instruction  to 
her  children,  (no  one  will  affirm  she  is  bound 
to  withhold  instruction  from  them,)  she  must 
either  teach  what  she  believes,  or  teach 
nothing  more  than  what  all  sects  believe. 
But  who  has  a  right  to  prescribe  the  latter  as 
her  rule  ?  Who  can  free  her  from  obligation 
to  teach  whatever  God  teaches  in  his  word  ? 
Are  not  the  sacred  Scriptures  the  standard 
of  faith,  and  is  she  not  bound  to  fashion  her 
own  faith,  as  well  as  the  faith  of  her  mem- 
bers, by  this  infallible  standard  ?  To  this 
divine  standard  she  must  conform  ;  and  as 
she  may  not  add  to  it,  so  she  may  not  take 
from  it.  Had  she  done  her  duty  more  faith- 
fully, and  instructed  her  children  and  youth 
more  diligently,  so  rich  and  blessed  a  harvest 
would  have  been  reaped  from  the  seed  sown 
and  labour  bestowed,  that  she  would  regard 
the  charge  of  sectarianism  as  idle  wind. 
Coming  from  her  own  members,  she  would 
consider  it  either  as  a  mark  of  ignorance,  or 
as  an  indication  of  unsoundness  in  the  faith  i 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  11 

and  coming  from  others  she  would  despise  it 
as  a  senseless  accusation. 

2.  The  second  objection  that  may  be  made 
to  the  plan,  is,  that  it  will  interfere  with  the 
establishment  of  Public  Schools. 

In  replying  to  this  objection,  the  Committee 
admit,  that  pubhc  schools,  both  in  New  Eng- 
land and  in  the  state  of  New  York,  have 
been  useful  in  diffusing  knowledge  through 
the  community.  Children  and  young  per- 
sons have  been  taught  in  them  the  elements 
of  learning  and  science,  together  with  some 
moral  precepts.  When  first  established  in 
New  England,  these  schools  were  under  a 
religious  influence,  and  aimed  at  forming 
the  heart,  as  well  as  enUghtening  the  mind. 
The  inculcation  of  religious  truth  was  not 
considered  by  our  Puritan  forefathers  as  un- 
suitable to  public  schools.  Not  only  was  the 
Bible  read,  but  the  Assembly's  Shorter  Cate- 
chism was  diligently  taught  in  them.  The 
multiplication  of  Christian  sects,  however,  in 
that  part  of  our  country,  has  expelled  from 
many  schools  that  invaluable  Catechism,  and 
greatly  deteriorated  their  beneficial  influence. 
Many  are  now  accommodated  to  the  taste  of 
Unitarians,  Socinians,  and  Universalists. 

In  the  city  of  New  York,  the  Roman  Ca- 


12  REPORT    ON 

tholics  have  aimed  at  subjecting  the  public 
schools  to  their  own  control ;  and  to  meet  the 
wishes  of  this  sect,  every  thing  offensive  to 
their  taste  was  expunged  from  the  school- 
books  ;  not  excepting  historical  facts,  reflect- 
ing on  the  conduct  of  papal  Rome  in  former 
years.  A  favour  that  would  not  be  granted 
to  any  other  Christian  denomination,  was  not 
sufficient  to  satisfy  their  unreasonable  de- 
mands. The  reading  of  the  Bible  in  the 
schools  was  displeasing  to  them;  and  had 
not  the  friends  of  that  divine  book  interposed 
their  influence,  the  teachers  would  have  been 
prohibited  reading  its  inspired  pages  to  their 
young  pupils.  So  liable  to  abuse  are  schools 
under  the  control  of  the  state.  .  What  dis- 
graceful disclosures  in  regard  to  the  conduct 
of  certain  trustees  and  teachers  of  the 
schools,  in  a  particular  ward  of  the  city  of 
New  York,  have  been  made  in  the  trial  of 
Dr.  Reese !  Are  children,  while  receiving 
education,  to  be  entrusted  to  the  care  of  such 
men  ! 

The  education  of  her  young  members, 
belongs  to  the  Church ;  and  to  her  they  have 
a  right  to  look  for  better  schools  than  the 
state  can  provide  ;  schools  in  which  they  will 
be  taught  to  know  God  and  his   Son  Jesus 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  13 

Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation.  The  State 
cannot  educate  them  aright;  nor  may  the 
Church  resign  them  for  this  purpose  to  the 
State.  She  cannot,  consistently  with  her  high 
obhgations,  devolve  on  the  State  a  duty 
which  was  assigned  to  her  by  her  glorious 
Head,  long  before  these  public  schools  were 
thought  of. 

The  State  regards  its  young  citizens  merely 
as  inhabitants  of  this  world,  and  feels  itself 
bound  to  provide  only  for  their  present  wel- 
fare. It  has  no  reference  to  a  future  world ; 
it  makes  no  provision  for  their  instruction  in 
the  way  of  salvation.  The  Church,  on  the 
other  hand,  regards  her  children  as  young 
immortals  ;  committed  to  her  care,  that  she 
may  train  them  up  for  the  enjoyment  of  future 
happiness  and  glory  in  another  world.  Fidel- 
ity to  her  trust  requires  her  to  teach  them 
the  great  doctrines  and  precepts  of  our  holy 
religion;  the  character  and  offices,  the  hu- 
miliation and  work,  the  love  and  grace  of  her 
Divine  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  To 
neglect  this  is  to  betray  her  trust. 

The  Church  has  been  remiss  in  her  duty. 

Oh !  that  she  were  duly  impressed  with  her 

failure !     The  public  mind  is   aroused,  in  a 

measure    to  a  sense  of  the  importance  of 

5* 


14  REPORT    ON 

diffusing  knowledge  through  the  community ; 
but  it  is  not  impressed  with  a  conviction  of 
the  unutterable  importance  of  sound  morals 
and  true  religion.  Knowledge  is  not  a  suffi- 
cient basis  for  the  support  of  our  free  insti- 
tutions. They  demand  a  broader  and  firmer 
foundation  ;  knowledge  and  sound  morality, 
and  both  sanctified  by  true  religion.  It  is 
the  Church's  vocation  to  produce  this  con- 
viction on  the  public  mind.  Let  her  awake 
then  to  her  high  destiny.  Let  her  use  every 
means  she  can  devise  for  this  great  purpose. 
While  labouring,  by  her  ministers  and  mis- 
sionaries, to  publish  the  great  doctrines,  and 
that  perfect  moral  code,  revealed  in  the 
Scriptures,  to  all  within  her  reach ;  let  her 
remember  that  she  is  bound  especially  to 
watch  over  her  youth,  and  see  that  their 
minds  be  well  imbued  with  divine  truth,  and 
their  memories  stored  with  the  precepts  of 
Christianity. 

Now,  if  ALL  THE  CHURCHES,  of  every  deno- 
mination of  Christians  in  these  United  States, 
were  to  waken  up,  and  to  establish  schools 
for  their  children  and  youth,  taught  by  in- 
telligent, pious,  competent  teachers,  under 
the  supervision  of  church-officers,  the  salutary 
effects  of  the  system  would  soon  become 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  15 

very  apparent.  The  conduct  of  pupils  coming 
forth  from  such  schools,  would  compare  well 
with  the  conduct  of  pupils  from  public  schools. 
The  State,  seeing  their  establishments  to  be, 
in  a  great  measure,  unnecessary,  would  gra- 
dually come  to  occupy  its  proper  place,  by 
affording  aid  to  Church  schools ;  just  as  it 
now  furnishes  aid  to  Academies  and  Colleges, 
under  the  supervision  and  control  of  incorpo- 
rated Trustees. 

But  as  the  Church  has  failed  in  her  duty,  or 
been  unable,  from  the  circumstances  in  which 
she  has  been  placed  in  a  new  country,  inhab- 
ited by  various  sects  of  religion,  weakening 
each  other's  strength,  to  make  adequate  pro- 
vision for  the  religious  education  of  all  her 
children ;  the  State  has  seen  and  felt  the  ne- 
cessity of  erecting  public  schools,  to  dispel  the 
prevailing  ignorance  of  the  people,  and  thus 
to  qualify  them  for  the  exercise  of  their  elec- 
tive franchise,  and  to  bring  to  a  successful 
result  the  great  experiment  making  in  this 
country,  of  a  people  governing  themselves. 

But  if  no  better  than  public  schools  be 
scattered  over  our  country,  designed  only  to 
enlighten  the  understanding,  while  the  heart 
is  neglected,  and  no  efforts  are  made  to  incul- 
cate the  doctrines,  and  impose  on  the  con- 


10  REPORT    ON 

science  the  restraints  of  revealed  religion, 
the  grand  experiment,  it  is  to  be  feared,  will 
result  in  a  melancholy  disappointment.  A 
race  of  irreligious  and  infidel  youth,  such  as 
may  be  expected  to  issue  from  public  schools, 
deteriorating,  more  and  more,  with  revolv- 
ing years,  will  not  be  fit  to  sustain  our  free 
institutions.  In  such  hands  they  will  first  be 
thrown  by  anarchy  into  wild  confusion  ;  and 
then  engulphed  in  one  or  more  military  des- 
potisms. 

Let  the  Church  foresee  the  evil,  and  apply 
the  remedy.  Let  her  multiply  her  religious 
schools.  Let  her  indoctrinate  her  youth  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  great  truths  and  duties 
of  our  divine  rehgion ;  let  her  mould  their 
hearts  by  the  gospel,  and  control  and  stimu- 
late their  consciences  by  its  touching  and 
powerful  motives.  From  such  schools  will 
come  forth  a  race  of  intelligent,  moral,  and 
religious  men,  into  whose  hands  the  destiny 
of  our  beloved  country  might,  under  the 
smiles  of  a  benignant  providence,  be  safely  en- 
trusted. They  would  solve  the  great  problem 
to  the  full  satisfaction  of  an  admiring  world. 

Let  all  the  churches,  of  every  donomina- 
tion  in  our  country,  engage  in  this  great  en- 
terprise of  Christian  benevolence ;  and  then, 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  17 

citizens,  who  love  her  interests,  as  well  as 
their  country,  may  seek  an  alteration  in  the 
law.  They  may,  with  a  fair  prospect  of  suc- 
cess, apply  for  a  rule  of  the  state,  that  every 
tax-payer,  that  every  man,  when  he  pays 
his  tax  for  education,  may  signify  to  what 
denomination  of  Christians,  it  shall  be  ap- 
plied. By  such  a  law  each  tax-payer  would 
have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  his 
money  went  to  the  support,  not  of  error  and 
irreligion,  but  of  truth.  If  any  should  de- 
cline exercising  their  privilege  their  money 
would  be  entirely  at  the  disposal  of  the  State. 
May  we  not  indulge  the  hope,  that  God 
will  in  mercy  overrule  the  danger  to  be  ap- 
prehended from  the  general  establishment  of 
public  schools,  from  which  religious  instruc- 
tion   of  AN    EFFICIENT    KIND    is    CXCludcd,  tO 

stir  up  his  Church  from  her  remissness,  and 
to  stimulate  her  to  engage  with  great  activity 
and  zeal  in  establishing  better  schools;  in 
which  the  young  shall  be  trained  up  in  the 
knowledge  of  his  inspired  truth,  and  taught 
to  fear  his  name,  to  believe  in  Christ  for  sal- 
vation, to  serve  their  Creator,  by  practising 
every  Christian  duty,  and  adorning  them- 
selves, with  humility  and  every  other  lovely 
grace? 


f$  REPORT    ON 

Among  the  ascension  gifts  bestowed  by 
our  ascended  Lord  on  his  Church,  the  apostle, 
in  his  epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  (chap.  iv.  11.) 
names  "  Teachers.''  Commentators  differ  in 
their  exposition  of  this  name ;  assigning  dif- 
ferent employments  to  the  persons  designated 
by  it.  But  may  we  not  reasonably  conclude, 
from  its  connexion  with  the  word  ''Pastors," 
that  they  were  appointed  to  assist  pastors,  by 
teaching  young  converts  and  the  children  of 
the  Church  the  elementary  principles  of 
Christianity  ?  If  this  interpretation  be  cor- 
rect, then,  the  establishment  of  Church  schools 
is  enforced  by  apostolic  example.  That  it  is 
correct,  appears  from  a  passage  in  the  epistle 
to  the  Romans,  (chap.  xii.  7.)  where  the  apos- 
tle says,  "or  ministry,  let  us  wait  on  our 
ministry  ;  or  he  that  teacheth  on  teaching." 
Here  it  is  admitted,  even  by  commentators 
who  give  a  different  meaning  to  the  word 
"  teachers,"  in  the  preceding  text,  that  such 
an  office  is  referred  to.  This  office  was  pecu- 
liarly necessary  in  primitive  times,  to  prepare 
catechumens  and  young  persons  to  hear  with 
greater  advantage,  the  discourses  of  pastors : 
and  it  is,  at  all  periods  of  the  Church,  neces- 
sary and  useful. 

3.  A  third  objection  may  be  urged  against 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  19 

the  plan  reported  to  the  General  As- 
sembly, that  it  is  impracticable  and  vi- 
sionary. 

Let  us  test  this  objection,  and  ascertain 
whether  it  is  not  far  too  sweeping  in  its  con- 
demnation. Indeed,  by  a  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  plan,  it  will  be  seen,  that  in  every 
particular  it  might  be,  in  a  short  time,  re- 
duced to  practice,  in  a  large  portion  of  our 
church. 

The  first  particular  in  the  plan  is,  "that 
the  christian  education  of  children  be  fre- 
quently brought  before  the  people  in  the  in- 
structions and  devotional  exercises  of  the 
pulpit ;"  and  the  second^  "  that  pastors  pay 
particular  attention,  in  their  visits,  to  the 
children  of  every  family."  Here  is  nothing 
impracticable.  One  pastor  may  indeed  do 
this  better  than  another ;  but  every  faithful 
minister  may,  by  exercise,  learn  to  reduce 
these  recommendations  to  practice  in  some 
degree. 

Cannot  almost  every  congregation  estab- 
lish "  one  or  more  Church  schools,  adapted  to 
children  between  six  and  ten  years  of  age,  to 
be  taught  by  intelligent,  pious  females,  se- 
lected by  the  Session?"  This  is  the  third 
recommendation. 


20  REPORT    ON 

Equally  practicable  is  the  fourth  particu- 
lar, which  recommends,  "  that,  in  populous 
towns,  infant  schools  be  established,  as  far 
as  circumstances  will  admit.'' 

The  ffth  recommendation  is,  "  that  there 
be  established  in  every  Presbytery  one 
GRAMMAR  SCHOOL,  or  ACADEMY,  and  lu  the 
larger  and  opulent  Presbyteries  more  than 
one,  adapted  for  training  youth  in  more  ad- 
vanced branches  of  knowledge,  and  pre- 
paring such  as  may  desire  it,  for  an  intro- 
duction into  college."  In  regard  to  this  it  is 
admitted,  that  some  of  our  Presbyteries  are 
too  small  and  feeble  to  sustain  a  grammar 
school ;  but  many  have  sufficient  ability  for 
the  purpose ;  and,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years,  the  weak  ones  may  become  strong. 
The  remarks  under  this  particular,  by  the 
Committee  who  prepared  and  recommended 
the  plan,  are  worthy  of  attentive  considera- 
tion. 

The  sixth  recommendation  must  com- 
mend itself  to  every  christian's  judgment  as 
obligatory  and  wise.  It  is  this,  "  that  when 
a  youth  is  to  be  sent  to  college,  the  utmost 
care  be  exercised  in  selecting  an  institution 
in  which  his  moral  and  religious  training 
will  receive  the  most  faithful  attention." 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  21 

The  seventh  is  equally  wise  and  obliga- 
tory. It  relates  to  the  duty  of  parents  and 
heads  of  families  spending  an  hour  of  the 
Sabbath  evening  in  hearing  their  children  re- 
cite the  catechism,  and  giving  them  other 
oral  instruction  suited  to  their  capacity. 
This  duty  needs  to  be  recalled  to  the  minds 
of  parents  and  heads  of  families ;  for  it  is  too 
much  neglected.  Many,  it  is  beUeved,  have 
declined  in  this  useful  practice  ;  because  their 
children  are  taught  in  Sabbath  schools. 
These  schools  are  valuable  aids  ;  but  parents 
should  remember  they  are  not  allowed  to  use 
them  as  a  substitute,  by  devolving  an  impe- 
rative duty  of  their  own  upon  others.  Many 
Sabbath  school  teachers  are  not  even  pro- 
fessors of  religion ;  and  surely  no  pious  pa- 
rent should  surrender  his  children  to  the 
teaching  of  such,  without  taking  a  supervi- 
sion over  them,  and  exerting  parental  in- 
fluence, by  adding  his  own  instruction,  both 
by  catechising  them,  and  giving  other  oral 
instruction.  It  behoves  pastors  to  insist  on 
this  point,  and  to  urge  on  parents  the  due 
and  regular  discharge  of  this  important  duty. 
Let  parents  imitate  the  wise  and  judicious 
practice  of  their  departed  ancestors,  who 
were  so  exemplary  in  performing  a  duty  so 
6 


2fe  REPORT    ON 

intimately  connected  with  the  highest  welfare 
of  their  offspring. 

The  eighth  recommendation,  "that  pas- 
tors and  church  sessions  be  diligently  at- 
tentive to  the  catechising  and  religious  in- 
struction of  all  the  children  under  their  care, 
through  the  whole  course  of  their  childhood 
and  youth,"  cannot  be  objected  to  as  imprac- 
ticable or  unreasonable.  If  the  details  under 
this  particular  may  seem  a  little  startling,  or 
as  imposing  an  onerous  duty,  the  committee 
offer  such  considerations  as  may  serve  to  win 
over  a  mind  unwilling  at  first  to  comply  with 
them,  and  lead  to  attainments  in  practical 
duty,  that,  at  the  beginning,  might  be  deemed 
unattainable. 

The  ninth  recommendation  about  the 
establishment  of  Bible  Classes,  is  at  once 
practicable  and  profitable  to  the  young. 

The  tenth,  "that  all  the  Sabbath-schools 
in  every  congregation  be  under  the  constant 
supervision  and  direction  of  the  pastor  and 
eldership,"  should  never  be  forgotten. 

The  original  design  of  these  schools  was, 
to  instruct  the  children  of  ungodly  parents, 
gathered  from  the  streets  and  alleys  of  the 
cities.  In  that  stage  of  these  useful  institu- 
tions, the  supervision  of  pastors  and  sessions, 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  t^ 

was  not  felt  to  be  necessary.  But  when 
these  schools  were  filled  with  the  children  of 
the  Church,  almost  to  the  exclusion  of  tho^ 
for  whose  benefit  they  were  originally  in- 
tended, this  supervision  was  seen  to  be  so 
proper  and  necessary,  that  the  influence  of 
the  General  Assembly  was  invoked  to  estab- 
Hsh  it ;  and  that  high  court,  deeming  a  recom- 
mendation to  that  effect  required  by  the  due 
government  of  our  Church,  did  not  hesitate 
to  grant  it.  Any  session  that  allows  Sab- 
bath-schools to  act  independently  of  their 
supervision  and  direction,  fails  in  the  due 
exercise  of  that  authority  with  which  it  is 
invested. 

The  eleventh  recommendation  is,  "that 
the  baptized  children  of  the  Church  be 
assembled  three  or  four  times  in  each  year, 
and  be  affectionately  addressed  and  prayed 
with  by  the  pastor."  This  is  a  service  that 
one  who  has  been  in  the  ministry  for  some 
time,  will  find  no  difficulty  in  performing ; 
and  young  pastors,  by  essaying  it,  will,  in  a 
few  years,  find  themselves  enabled  to  per- 
form it,  with  increasing  facility. 

The  tivelfth,  and  thirteenth  which  is  the 
last,  present  nothing  impracticable,  as  will  be 


Jf4  REPORT    ON 

seen  at  once  by  any  one  who  barely  reads 
them. 

•  Thus  it  appears,  that  the  plan  reported  to 
the  General  Assembly  of  1840,  which  may, 
at  first  reading,  seem  repulsive,  from  the 
change  of  habits  it  contemplates  producing, 
when  carefully  examined,  in  all  its  parti- 
culars, is  seen  to  be  practicable  and  truly 
desirable. 

The  Committee  would  offer  to  this  able 
and  comprehensive  plan  an  additional  recom- 
mendation ;  that  in  every  congregation  there 
be  established  one  or  more  schools  for  the 
instruction  of  children,  from  eight  Xo  fourteen 
years  of  age,  by  intelligent,  pious  male 
teachers,  selected  by  the  session,  to  prepare 
the  youth  to  enter  the  Grammar  School,  at 
a  proper  age,  and  to  carry  on  others,  who  do 
not  intend  to  go  to  a  Grammar  school,  to 
such  attainments  in  knowledge,  as  will  fit 
them  for  the  avocations  in  life  in  which  they 
are  to  be  engaged. 

Now,  in  carrying  the  whole  plan  into  exe- 
cution, the  Committee  allow,  that  difficulties, 
arising  from  various  sources,  will  have  to  be 
encountered ;  but  they  see  none  that  may 
not  be  overcome,  by  a  due  degree  of  care, 
patience,  and  perseverance. 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  25 

Look  at  Scotland.  There  such  a  plan  has 
been  completely  realized.  We  are  aware  it 
may  be  objected,  that  the  condition  of  our 
country  is  widely  different  from  that  of  Scot- 
land. Admitted.  We  know  our  territory  to 
be  vastly  more  extensive  than  that  of  Scot- 
land ;  that  our  population  is  far  more  sparse, 
and  far  less  homogeneous,  than  that  of  Scot- 
land ;  that  the  people  of  this  country  are  cut 
up  into  a  great  variety  of  sects,  intermingled 
with  each  other  ;  that  many  of  our  congre- 
gations are  small  and  feeble,  and  composed, 
in  some  places,  of  persons  of  various  habits  ; 
and  that  prejudices  exist  in  many  minds 
against  the  adoption  of  such  a  plan.  In 
view  of  all  these  things  we  are  in  favour  of 
commencing  operation,  and  hope  that  suc- 
cess will  crown  our  exertions,  sooner  than  in 
Scotland.  There  the  General  Assembly  in 
1560  directed  the  Presbyteries  "to  settle  a 
church-school  in  every  parish,  with  a  pious, 
orthodox,  and  well  quaUfied  teacher ;"  but 
it  was  not  till  1642,  eighty -two  years  after- 
wards, that  they  directed  "a  Grammar 
school  to  be  erected  in  every  Presbytery." 
If  our  Presbyteries,  Synods,  and  General 
Assembly  begin  to  operate  on  the  plan  pro- 
posed, with  zeal,  and  diligence,  and  perse- 
6  * 


S^  REPORT    ON 

verance,  in  less  than  eighty-two  years,  we, 
or  our  successors  in  the  ministry,  will  see 
Church-schools  estabUshed  in  very  many 
Presbyterian  congregations  throughout  the 
United  States,  and  Grammar-schools  in  many 
Presbyteries  in  our  connexion ;  and  our 
children  and  youth  blest  with  advantages 
for  acquiring  knowledge,  and  receiving  a 
moral  and  religious  training,  far  superior  to 
those  which  their  fathers  have  enjoyed. 

The  Committee  are  in  favour  of  having 
carried  into  execution  the  whole  plan  pro- 
posed to  the  Assembly  of  1840 ;  and  as 
several  parts  of  it  are  already  reduced  to 
practice,  by  different  pastors  and  sessions, 
they  would  recommend,  that  special  atten- 
tion be  paid  to  the  establishment,  in  the  con- 
gregations, of  that  description  of  schools  now 
recommended.  Such  a  school  has  been  es- 
tabUshed in  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church, 
in  Grand  Street,  New  York.  It  is  well  en- 
dowed, and  successfully  conducted ;  and  has 
contributed  much  to  the  prosperity  of  that 
church.  Similar  schools  have  been  con- 
nected with  the  new  churches  now  forming 
in  the  upper  parts  of  that  city,  through  the 
liberal  instrumentality  of  a  wealthy  family. 
And  the  establishment  of  similar  schools  in 


PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS.  27 

most,  if  not  all  the  congregations  under  the 
care  of  this  Synod,  would  not  require  a 
greater  outlay  of  money,  than  is  now 
required  for  the  due  education  of  their 
children. 

What  seems  particularly  necessary  in  the 
commencement  of  this  great  plan  of  Chris- 
tian education,  is,  the  awakening  of  the  at- 
tention of  our  congregations  to  the  unutter- 
able importance  of  securing  to  their  children 
a  moral  and  religious  training.  They  are  not 
impressed  on  this  subject  as  they  ought  to  be  5 
and  means  should  be  used  to  produce  the  im- 
pression. Pastors  and  sessions  need  to  be 
aroused,  and  to  feel  more  deeply  than  they 
have  hitherto  felt,  the  duty  of  paying  greater 
attention  to  the  rehgious  education  of  the 
children  and  youth  of  their  congregations. 

In  conclusion  the  committee  submit  for 
adoption  the  following  resolutions  : 

1.  Resolved  that  it  be  recommended  to  all 
the  pastors,  elders,  and  intelligent  individuals 
in  our  congregations,  to  purchase  and  care- 
fully read  the  report  on  the  subject  of  Chris- 
tian Education  made  to  the  Assembly  of  1840, 
and  published,  in  conformity  to  their  resolu- 
tion, by  the  Board  of  Publication.* 

*  No.  48  of  the  Society's  Publications,  price  25  cents. 


28  REPORT    ON    PAROCHIAL    SCHOOLS. 

2.  Resolved,  that  it  be  recommended  to  all 
the  pastors,  belonging  to  the  Synod,  to  preach 
at  an  early  season,  on  the  subject  of  a  proper 
Christian  education  of  children,  with  a  view- 
to  calling  up  the  attention  of  their  people  to 
this  important  matter,  and  of  producing  on 
their  minds  a  conviction  of  its  unutterable 
value. 

3.  Resolved,  that  it  be  recommended  to 
the  pastors  and  sessions  to  endeavour  to  es- 
tablish, in  their  respective  congregations,  that 
class  of  schools  recommended  by  your  com- 
mittee. 

4.  Resolved, \h3X  the  Presbyteries  of  this  Sy- 
nod be  directed  to  inquire  annually  what  is 
doing  in  regard  to  the  Christian  educatior.  of 
children,  by  their  pastors  and  sessions. 

5.  Resolved,  that  this  Synod  will  institute 
annually  an  inquiry  on  this  subject. 

6.  Resolved,  that  the  Stated  Clerk  report 
to  the  General  Assembly  that  this  Synod  have 
taken  action  on  this  subject. 


Printed  by 
WM.  S.  MARTIEN. 

Stereotyped  by 

S.  DOUGLAS  WYETH, 

No.  7  Pear  St.  Pbilidelptiia. 


Date  Due 

.^— . 

ts^ 

QCX>4hM^.. 

..    :>-' 

^ 

^ 


i^s«iaiiit.    ^ 

-.3t 

1.- 

